Activating Vacant Spaces

Living Lots NYC is a clearinghouse of information that New Yorkers can use to find, unlock and protect our shared resources. 596 Acres started with vacant lots and remains committed to helping fill these holes.

Reviewing Accountability

Urban Reviewer catalogs over 150 urban renewal plans that NYC adopted to get federal funding for acquiring land, relocating the people living there, demolishing the structures and making way for new public and private development.

Gaining Access to Public Buildings

NYCommons helps New Yorkers impact decisions about public land and buildings in their neighborhoods. It is a collaboration between Common Cause/NY, the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center, and 596 Acres.

It is easy to live in a city and feel powerless in the face of unseen forces that shape our streets, that build and unbuild the city. Even for a trained attorney (like myself), it is hard to make sense of the arcane political and legal processes by which our urban landscape is created. But it matters! The city isn’t static, and the fates of our streets and communal spaces aren’t pre-ordained.

I am so inspired by the people that have built and preserved community spaces with the support of 596 Acres. It is electrifying for communities to take our rightful places at the table, working together to make our cities more just, more accessible, and more beautiful for all. The decision-making process about land is often obscure, anonymous and unseen, but our work illuminates the potentials of our cities and our people.

That is why, after volunteering since 2013 as a researcher, writer, and board member for 596 Acres, I am incredibly excited to become part of the staff, and particularly excited to be taking on the role of Director of Development. I want to illuminate our work, and I’m dedicated ensuring we can continue to fund this wonderful project!

Help us welcome Rachel and find out how you can support our powerful work! Reach her at (718) 316-6092 X 1 or rachel@596acres.org.